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GE Capital joins a long list of U.S. companies itching to get a
bigger piece of the booming small-business market. Its change from
focusing on short-term, product-based financing options to building
relationships with small businesses by offering a host of new
services could be the right solution for your expansion plans.

The new GE Small Business Solutions program is currently being
tested in Philadelphia and is expected to be rolled out nationally
early this year. "In the small-business sector, we're
traditionally organized along a product focus--equipment financing,
asset-based lending, fleet solutions, credit cards, etc.,"
explains Andrew Goodman, marketing leader at GE Small Business
Solutions. "The goal of the Solutions program is [for us] to
stop thinking about just selling a product and develop long-term
relationships with customers."

The new program's approach will feature GE Capital lenders
with whom entrepreneurs can meet to find an overall, possibly
multifaceted approach to their financing needs. In addition, GE
Capital Small Business Solutions will offer entrepreneurs a choice
of how to access the company--through traditional sales reps and
inside sales executives at customer centers or through the
company's new Web site.

"Gesmallbusiness.com, will offer complete solutions,"
says Goodman. "For the small-business owner or professional
finance person who knows what they want, they can go directly to
what they need." For those customers who don't know what
they want, there are a series of questions they can answer about
their cash flow, industry and more.

GE Capital Small Business Solutions targets companies with from
$1 million to $20 million in revenue that have been in business for
at least three years and operate in one of seven industries:
wholesale distribution, manufacturing, retail, construction,
transportation, health care and professional services. Firms should
be looking for $5,000 or more. For additional information, call
(800) 335-4372.